Journal article

Serological evaluation of mycobacterium ulcerans Antigens identified by comparative genomics

SJ Pidot, JL Porter, L Marsollier, A Chauty, F Migot-Nabias, C Badaut, AB Bénard, MT Ruf, T Seemann, PDR Johnson, JK Davies, GA Jenkin, G Pluschke, TP Stinear

Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases | Published : 2010

Open access

Abstract

A specific and sensitive serodiagnostic test for Mycobacterium ulcerans infection would greatly assist the diagnosis of Buruli ulcer and would also facilitate seroepidemiological surveys. By comparative genomics, we identified 45 potential M. ulcerans specific proteins, of which we were able to express and purify 33 in E. coli. Sera from 30 confirmed Buruli ulcer patients, 24 healthy controls from the same endemic region and 30 healthy controls from a non-endemic region in Benin were screened for antibody responses to these specific proteins by ELISA. Serum IgG responses of Buruli ulcer patients were highly variable, however, seven proteins (MUP045, MUP057, MUL_0513, Hsp65, and the polyketid..

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Grants

Funding Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the UBS-Optimus Foundation Stop Buruli initiative (www.stopburuli.org) and the Association Francaise Raoul Follereau (www.raoul-follereau.org). TPS was supported by a fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (www.nhmrc.gov.au). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.